Trusting God in the Waiting: What Ohio Weather Can Teach Us About God

In like a lion, out like a lamb. I don’t know if it is always true or not, but that is what they taught us about the month of March in elementary school. March here in the Ohio area certainly is a month of transition. Winter starts to lose its cold grip, and we begin to see the first tiny little hints of spring – buds on the trees, birds returning, and peeks of the sun.

But it doesn’t happen all at once. The calendar saying “spring” doesn’t make winter disappear overnight. There are still gray skies, chilly mornings, and unexpected storms. We want the warmth and light of spring and summer, but it seems as if it will never come.

Our lives sometimes feel like that. We know God is always working, but we feel stuck waiting for Him to answer our prayers, waiting for a situation to be resolved, waiting for a new chapter to begin. So let’s take a look at nature to see what it can teach us about God.

The seasons always change in God’s perfect timing. No matter how long winter lasts, spring will come. The Bible says there is a season for everything and a time for every event that happens (Ecclesiastes 3:1). When we feel that we have been waiting for such a long winter season, remember that God has been working the whole time. The trees and flowers do not panic. They rest in waiting, knowing God will bring growth at the right time.

Growth happens below the surface. In the spring, we do not always see growth. Flowers haven’t bloomed, and the trees are still bare. But growth is happening beneath the ground, and roots are growing deeper.

We may not see any growth in our lives either, but in our patient waiting, God is strengthening us and deepening our trust and dependence on Him. The waiting isn’t wasted time; it is when most spiritual growth occurs. We do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Storms come before blooms. Spring in Ohio means rainstorms (sometimes snowstorms!) and unpredictable weather. But when that is over, we will have flowers, green grass, and new life. Our lives often work the same way. In the storms of life, God is doing amazing things. The storms are not meant to hurt us but to nourish us, to feed us, and prepare us to bloom. When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow (James 1:2-3).

God’s plan is always greater than we imagine. Despite the dreariness of March, we see hints of encouragement – a robin in the lawn, daffodils pushing up through the ground, and buds on the trees. These give us hope for what is coming.

Even if you haven’t yet received what you are waiting for, look for the small signs of God’s grace, goodness, and faithfulness in your life. God is working, and what He does is always bigger than we can even imagine. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).